Dr AZMAYESH : Stoning is in opposition to principle of Islamic Law
Letter To Mr. Fasil Meybody,
During your recent visit to Paris I was unfortunately unable to meet you as I as was also travelling and therefore unable to talk to you during your visit. However, during your visit, your interview concerning Punishment and Retribution under Islamic Law, with Radio Zamaenh was published. Since the topic of your interview falls under the framework of my own specialty in Islamic jurisprudence I felt it appropriate that I take this opportunity to make the following comments: Punishment by stoning has been associated by some to be an accepted form of punishment within Islam Law. However, in the Holy Koran stoning has not been mentioned as a form of Islamic punishment. According to some traditions the second Khalif during the collection of Koranic chapters and verses expressed concerned at lack of verses concerning a form of punishment for adulators. But the acceptance of such traditions seems inappropriate when there is no way to verify the validity of these traditions and especially since when it is in opposition to verses in Koran Therefore, one can only conclude that stoning is not according to Koran an accepted form of punishment under Islamic Law (Sharia). However, this does not mean that act of stoning is not mentioned in the Koran.
Stoning is unaccepted form of Islamic Punishment.
According to Koran Stoning was used by the rich and powerful as means of punishment against the prophets and messenger of God as well as ordinary people in order to force them to submit. There are numerous examples of these types of threats and actions in the Koran. In fact there were very few prophets or messenger of God who were not subject to threats of being stoned to death. In order to better understand the context of stoning in Koran its best to look at few example verses such as verse 16-18 of Soureh of Sharifeh .
In these verses ?the apostles of Jesus who invited people to follow Jesus, were oppressed by tyrant governor who stood opposed to the apostles and threatened them with stoning and painful punishment if they did not stop inviting people to follow Jesus??
In the following verses we hear of a person who was drawn to the apostles calling on to people of the town to accept the Apostles as messengers of God, who did not want any form of reimbursement for their mission but only to guide the people towards God. But this person soon became a martyr at hands of the oppressors. However, during his ordeal he is quoted as saying that he wished his fellow companions could be there with him and witness the kindness that God has bestowed upon him and therefore would stop following the oppressors.
These verses and others like it are necessary reading for researchers who insist that stoning is an accept form of punishment under Islamic Law. Because, it is clear, from such verses as these, that such form of punishment is in fact in complete opposition to principle of Islamic Law as stated in the Koran and goes against all values that God has bestowed on his crowning achievement: Human creation and Human values.
Therefore, in no time or in no instant can stoning be considered as an accepted form of punishment under Islamic Law. In fact if we look carefully at the Koran and Soureh of Kahef we see that stoning was actually form of punishment during the rein of Degnasos, and before the seven sleepers took refuge in the cave they were under the threat of persecution by a tyrant governor who threaten the freedom seekers and subjected them stoning if they were to be caught. These freedom seekers, who are know as seven sleepers, in order to escape the clutches of this tyrant escaped to cave and prayed to Gods for refuge. God accepted their plea and placed them in state of Sleep for 309 years. However, when they woke they still thought they were under threat from Degnasos and when they decided to go to the market to purchase food there went under a disguise in order to escape the gaze Degansos and his forces because if they were caught they faced death by stoning.
With thanks,
Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh
